Home to the one-eyed Abyssin, the planet circled the binary starsByss and Abyss in an unusual figure-eight orbit. A hot and arid planet, temperatures on Byss reached their unbearable apex when the planet passed between its two suns, a nightless period called "The Burning."

Much of the animal life of Byss either hibernated during the hottest part of Byss's year, or lived entirely underground. Byss's animals also evolved various systems to conserve water, such as the Abyssin ability to quickly regenerate from injuries to minimize blood loss. Most plant life on Byss utilized extensive taproots to extract underground water. One animal native to Byss was the gaunt.